Do I Come To Christ With My
Problems?
Corinthian
Questions Series (Part 11)
A Sermon
By Jim Hammond[i]
from 1 Corinthians 10:13
Max Lucado tells the story of Chippie in his book, The
Eye of the Storm,
Chippie the parakeet never saw it coming.
One second he was peacefully perched in his cage. The next he was sucked
in, washed up, and blown over.
The problems began when Chippie’s owner
decided to clean Chippie’s cage with a vacuum cleaner. She removed the
attachment from the end of the hose and stuck it in the cage. The phone
rang, and she turned to pick it up. She’d barely said “hello” when
“ssssopp!” Chippie got sucked in.
The bird owner gasped, put down the phone,
turned off the vacuum, and opened the bag. There was Chippie—still
alive, but stunned.
Since the bird was covered with dust and
soot, she grabbed him and raced to the bathroom, turned on the faucet,
and held Chippie under the running water. Then, realizing that Chippie
was soaked and shivering, she did what any compassionate bird owner
would do . . . she reached for the hair dryer and blasted the pet with
hot air.
Poor Chippie never knew what hit him.
A few days after the trauma, the reporter
who’d initially written about the event contacted Chippie’s owner to
see how the bird was recovering. “Well,” she replied, “Chippie
doesn’t sing much anymore—he just sits and stares.”
It’s hard not to see why. Sucked in,
washed up, and blown over . . . That’s enough to steal the song from
the stoutest heart.[ii]
Have you ever felt like that poor bird?
One day everything was fine, then suddenly your whole world falls
apart. You went through the
tunnel of chaos, and the light at the end of the tunnel was a train!
Like Chippie, you find yourself in the dark, and in the dirt.
You are stunned, you shake your head.
Then things get worse!
When Things Go from Bad to Worse:
I remember when I fell off a step ladder.
I had stepped off a high porch, onto the top rung of an eight
foot wooden step ladder. I
know, all ladders say you aren’t supposed to stand on the top step,
but I did. How many of you
have never stepped on the top step of a step ladder?
See, this could happen to many of us!
The ladder wasn’t on stable ground and it wobbled out from
under me. I came crashing
down. I hit hard and in an
instant, I thought, “Phew, at least I didn’t break anything.”
I had fallen one direction while the ladder had toppled hard in
the other direction, only to bounce off the porch that I had stepped off
from, then it swung like a pendulum right back in the direction I fell.
As I was thinking how lucky I was not to be hurt, the wooden
ladder crashed down on my head as I was just sitting up.
I never saw it coming. I
had to go get stitches in my head.
Problems! We’ve
all had them. Like Chippie,
we might not sing much anymore. We
might just be stunned, sitting and staring, doing nothing.
I hope that today brings some encouragement back to
your life. Most of all I
hope today brings hope. Hope
that comes from Christ. I
hope today encourages you to come to Christ in the midst of your
problems.
Focus:
No problem is so unique that Christ doesn’t have a solution.
With Christ there is hope for every problem!
I.
My Problem Does Not Excuse Irresponsible (sinful) behavior
A note about problems. The word that I will be using a lot today is the word
“problem”. But the word
that is translated in our text of study today is “temptation.”
But as I will show you, “problem” is not a bad translation of
that word.
Let’s read the text.
1
Corinthians 10:13 (NIV) No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God
is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.
But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can
stand up under it.
The word is ðåéñáóì’ò
can be translated “trial”, as in a testing, or
“temptation.” So what
English word can have both of those ideas built into it?
Problem. The movie
Apollo 13 captured the communication “Houston, we have a problem.”
In much the same way, we need to communicate to Christ when we
have a problem, whether it is a trial, or a temptation. Another thing to remember is this, whether a problem is a
trial, or a temptation depends upon context, and what we do with it. So
here is a Jim Hammond paraphrase of the same verse
No
problem has come to you
that is so unique that Christ doesn’t have a ready solution. Remember
this, God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past
your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.
And there is always available to you a way to respond that will
please Him.
God never tempts.
He never entices anyone to fail.
He cannot conceive of such a thing.
But we sure can. We
can conceive of problems that should be solved becoming problems that
result in more problems. That
is why every trial, is a test. Every
problem is a test. Every
problem has within it the built in possibility of temptation.
The temptation does not come from God.
God only intends such “problems” for our good, they are
problems to be solved. And
as such, any problem, any test, any temptation, has an out.
There is always an escape. We
can always turn from the temptation to find the route of escape. God is faithful, he never tempts. Problems are always opportunities to prove ourselves
faithful.
There are no special cases.
13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.
There may be unique features to my problem, but it
is not so unique that it is totally new.
Others have faced similar things before and were able to solve
the problem God’s way. Never
is a problem so unique, complex, or special, that there is no solution. To believe this is to become irresponsible.
Part of that irresponsibility makes excuses for sin.
Excuses:
“I can’t help it.”
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“You don’t have to live with a husband like
mine.”
“My parents are unreasonable, nobody else at
school has parents making rules and demands like mine!”
“Under the circumstances, you’d have done the
same thing.”
But God has not changed.
Human behavior is still the same.
God’s answer is as relevant today as ever. Christ still offers answers to life’s most fundamental
problems.
Let’s get at the encouragement found in this
concept,
No
problem has come to you
that is so unique that Christ doesn’t have a ready solution
13No
temptation has seized you except what is common to man.
The implication of this is that we have no
room for excuses. Others
have handled problems just like ours successfully.
This provides us with encouragement and hope.
It works something like this. Let’s just say, you find out you have a problem that
requires surgery. At first you are alarmed, maybe even devastated.
Then you begin to hear from others who have had the same problem,
and have undergone the same surgery successfully.
With each story you begin to be more and more encouraged.
This is what it is like when you spend time with Christians who
have had similar problems and can share how God brought them through.
You begin to feel empowerment.
If they can, so can I. But
there is more to it than simply this aspect.
II. Christ Understands
My Problem
III. Christ Has the Resources
I need to Solve My Problem
When we believe this, we have the help we need to
stop complaining, whining, worrying.
We go once again to God and feed on his word.
We are strengthened by his word, and his presence.
We begin to approach this thing God’s way, to the glory of His
Son, Jesus Christ.
Who Can Stand Alone?
A minister years ago was traveling by train
and began a conversation with another passenger who was a Christian but
struggling in his faith. As
they talked the minister asked, while pulling out his penknife from his
pocket, “Do you think I can make this penknife stand up on the cover
of this Bible, in spite of the rocking of the train.”
The young man expecting a trick said, “I
don’t think it will be very easy.”
The minister replied, “But as you see I
am already doing it.”
“Oh, but you are still holding it up,”
said the young man.
“Of course I am” said the minister.
“You didn’t think it would stand up on its on in this
jostling train did you?”
“I guess not,” said the young man.
“You will not stand either unless you
allow Christ to hold you, replied the minister.”
The minister went on to explain that if we remain all alone, we
will fall.[iii]
Let me tell you one of the strongest and
often overlooked resources to solving basic problems. Christ will help you through a Christian friend’s support.
And here is how that often works.
You share your problem with someone you have come to trust.
This may be because this person loved you enough to confront you.
In any case, you confess your problem to this person.
At that point, the pride is broken, the power of the problem is
reduced dramatically. Someone
else knows and someone else cares. They care enough to support.
They still accept you, warts and all.
Because they remember their own warts.
They begin to pray. They
might even share with you the way they had their warts removed.
You become encouraged. And
their knowing support gives you courage, and empowerment to make some
changes.
It is the modern error to make excuses and not hold
people responsible for problems. If
you call sin, sin, you can give person help and answers. But if you call sin an illness.
You will make excuses and take the answers away from them because
you believe they can’t help it. It
is the modern error to assume only “professional help” can help.
This is wrong! Christian friends can help.
We are living in a world where people don’t have many friends.
The church is one place that can change that.
But friends, it doesn’t happen if your only interaction with
other Christians is on Sunday morning only.
You have to get involved. Care
Groups are a good start. I
encourage you to go beyond the designated meetings as you develop caring
friendships. Christian
friends are competent to help! Paul calls this friendship factor, “building up the body in
love”
Ephesians 4:16 (NIV) 16From
him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting
ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its
work.
We are told to “consider how we may spur one another
on toward love and good deeds.”
(Hebrews 10:24) we are told to “Carry one another’s
burdens” (Gal 6:1-2). We
are told to “consider others better than yourselves. 4Each
of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the
interests of others.” (Phil
2:3-4)
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.
We have seen that this truth will not allow us to
shed our responsibilities by saying our problem is unique.
God says my problems are common to man.
They are shared by others. We
noted there is hope in this. If
others have faced similar problems successfully by following God’s
directions and availing themselves of His resources, then we can too!
Notice the further implications! The basics of problems are similar even if the details are
different, and Christians have discovered how to solve their problems
through the Resources Christ offers!
There are answers in the Bible, there is help through God’s
power, and through one another.
Let’s get back to the very basics. That which makes our faith so powerful. In the Name of Jesus Christ, because he has helped us,
let’s help one another!
III. How Do I Know It
Will Work?
Three words: “God
is Faithful”
Paul is not overselling his point here.
He nails the promise of God to the solid foundation of the
faithfulness of God, the firmest foundation of all!
You Can Count On Christ and the Promises of God.
Many with long lasting problems have lost hope.
They almost defy the suggestion that there might be hope.
If you are like that you need to hear these three words again.
“God is Faithful!” Disillusionment comes when we pin our hopes on man’s
answers, but not when we pin our hope on something solid God offers.
Have you been discouraged?
Have you hesitated to ever hope again?
If so, listen to what the Bible says.
God is faithful. There
is hope! What you haven’t
been able to solve, what seems impossible, is possible, through Christ.
God gives here a guarantee.
The beginning of the solution can start today!
IV. I Can’t
Say Can’t
“I can’t do it!”
said the Christian woman who had just been confronted with
biblical direction about how to approach her problem.
Is she right? Does
God ever put us in a situation in which he demands a response from us
that we cannot give? Are we
ever really that helpless?
I submit to you that we are never really helpless,
and that the statement is a copout.
I know this because I believe what God says about it.
Note the second half of 1 Corinthians 10:13
. . . And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted
beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide
a way out so that you can stand up under it.
I can’t say can’t.
If God has sent it, I can take it.
If God has allowed it, I can take it.
The problem that hangs with us “too long” is the problem we
keep handling ourselves and muffing up and staying there where we
haven’t learned, and haven’t taken the way out God has provided.
You may look at yourself and protest.
There is no way I could face “such and such” and remain
faithful. If the “such
and such” you are thinking of is hypothetical, you may be correct.
God hasn’t given that for you to face.
But if he does give you something to face, he knows something
about you and your faith; you can handle it.
Let me remind you that since it is the way we think
that turns opportunities for good into opportunities to sin, that when
it comes to temptation the best escape available to us is the earliest
escape offered. When
temptations are strong, it isn’t God who is tempting us.
God presents us with an opportunity to prove faithful.
Every test will either make us stronger or it will make us
weaker. It is our own
wayward hearts that change testing opportunities into temptations.
We do that to ourselves when we entertain the temptation.
We need to seek God’s escape route, and seek it early.
An Autobiography in Five Short Chapters, by Portia Nelson brings
this out.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
IN FIVE SHORT CHAPTERS
by
Portia Nelson
Chapter
I
I
walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I fall in.
I am lost ... I am helpless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes me forever to find a way out.
Chapter
II
I
walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in the same place
but, it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.
Chapter
III
I
walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in ... it's a habit.
my eyes are open
I know where I am.
It IS my fault.
I get out immediately.
Chapter
IV
I
walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
Chapter
V
I
walk down another street.
Portia Nelson learned to stop making
excuses and start making adjustments that brought about change.
Let’s see problems for what they are. Problems
are tailor made opportunities, and God is the tailor.
These are opportunities to see the wonder and power of God.
These are opportunities to put the promises of God into practice.
These are opportunities to prove God right, and magnify him
before the unbelieving unseeing world.
Am I successful at this? Not
every time. I struggle just
like you struggle. But I
know what the Bible says about my problems. Problems
are problems to be solved. No
problem is so unique that Christ doesn’t have a solution.
With Christ there is hope for every problem!
The challenge for us is to decide to come to Christ with our
problems. If we do we will
always find the escape route. We
will always find hope. We
will stop saying “I can’t” and we will instead say with Paul, “I
can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians
4:13)
The Bible does not ignore the severity of your
problem, neither does it minimize it when it says you can handle it.
The Bible simply tells the truth about you, and the truth about
God. You can handle it if
you handle it God’s way. You
can find help if you honestly come to Christ with your problem.
Christian wife, you can be different.
Young man, you can control your lust.
Businessman, you can meet that irate customer with grace and
wisdom. Shut-in, you can
overcome the feeling of loneliness and uselessness.
Each of you can if you come to Christ with your problems.
If you don’t know where to start, why not start with a prayer
this morning.
Dear Lord Jesus,
You know the problem that I’m having.
I come to you with __________________ right now.
Give me wisdom from your word.
I confess __________________________ to you and receive your
forgiveness. Thank you for
pioneering the way through problems.
Thank you for not allowing anything more than I can handle.
Thank you for always providing me a way out, some way of handling
the problem in a way that pleases you.
Help me now to know the next step, and to have the strength and
courage to take that step. In
Jesus Name, Amen.
Let me encourage you today, to talk to a
Christian friend about your problem.
As I have mentioned today part of taking your problem to Christ,
is taking it to the Body of Christ, his Church.
Is there a Christian friend you can trust to share this
information with for support and encouragement.
If you can’t think of anyone let me encourage you to get
involved in a small group and develop more support around you.
In the mean time, I invite you to talk to me, or one of the staff
or our elders to find the support you need.
Maybe that support will simply be some prayer about the burden
you are carrying. May you
find the strength and encouragement that comes from our sure hope in
Christ. God is Faithful!
[i] Adapted from Christ and
Your Problems by Jay E. Adams (Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co.) 1971
[ii] In the Eye of the Storm
by Max Lucado, Word Publishing, 1991, p. 11
[iii] adapted from Knight’s
Master Book of Illustrations, p. 674-675.
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